Sharks prospects to play in World Juniors

A pair of Sharks prospects will suit up for their respective countries for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia.

Tomas Hertl, a first round pick from 2012 (Czech Republic) and 2011 fifth round pick Sean Kuraly (USA) were named to their team’s final roster on Sunday. The annual tournament begins on Dec. 26 and runs through Jan. 5.

It will be the second appearance at the World Juniors for Hertl, 19, who had three goals and two assists for the Czech Republic in last year’s tournament and was one of his country’s best performers. One of the top prospects in the Sharks’ organization, Hertl has a team-leading 12 goals for HC Slavia Praha in the Czech Extraliga, and is tied for the team lead with 22 points.

The 6-2, 200-pound Hertl was selected 17th overall by the Sharks at the NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh in June.

In early August, Kuraly opened some eyes at the National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, New York, when the 19-year-old had four goals and two assists for six points in three games. He’s currently a freshman at the University of Miami (Ohio), and has three goals and one assist in 18 games.

The NHL Network is carrying much of the preliminary action, including Team USA’s first game against Germany at 6:00 a.m. PST on Dec. 27 (with a replay at 5:00 p.m. PST). None of the Czech Republic’s preliminary games will appear on the network.

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While many of his Sharks teammates are on their way home for the holidays or have already returned from their European adventures, captain Joe Thornton remains in Switzerland with HC Davos. He’ll partake in the upcoming Spengler Cup, an annual tournament hosted by his current team. Thornton helped lead HC Davos to the Spengler Cup during the last NHL lockout in 2004-05.

HC Davos won the tournament last year, but repeating may prove to be difficult as Team Canada’s roster features several locked-out NHL stars. They include John Tavares, Jason Spezza, Sam Gagner, Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Seguin and Thornton’s teammate with the Sharks, defenseman Jason Demers. The tournament begins on Dec. 26.

The Sharks captain will also have plenty of family around for Christmas, as his wife, whom he met during the last lockout, is a Swiss native.